Los Angeles And Oakland Gain CMA CGM Columbus Loop Cargo-Passenger Route While Seattle And Vancouver Get A Branch Line

The previous Columbus Loop service. Seattle and Vancouver have now been replaced by Los Angeles and Oakland

Until recently, the well-known Columbus Loop service ran from the North American East Coast to Asia via the Cape of Good Hope and on to Seattle and Vancouver, with return to New York via Asia and Suez. But all is about to change as the main Columbus Loop service, now called Columbus Jax, relocates its West Coast port turnarounds to Los Angeles and Oakland, California.

The new route between Halifax and New York and Los Angeles (using the newly-acquired APL terminal) and Oakland

Through the Columbus Loop it was possible to build a round-the-world trip between Halifax, New York and other US East Coast ports and the West Coast ports of Seattle and Vancouver via Asia and return to the other coast by train. This will still be possible but Seattle and Vancouver will now be replaced by Los Angeles, where CMA CGM has recently acquired the dedicated APL container terminal at Terminal Island, and Oakland.

Seattle and Vancouver will now have a Transpacific branch line with sailings to China

In lieu of through service to East Coast ports via Suez, Seattle and Vancouver will now get a separate 42-day service called Columbus PNW, that will connect with Yantian, Xiamen, Ningbo, Shanghai and Pusan before returning to Seattle. Two French-flag ships now serve this route, with the 7-passenger CMA CGM Norma and CMA CGM Rigolettocarrying passengers with sailings once or twice a month.

The CMA CGM Medea foemerly on the Columbus PNW service featured three twin cabins, one double cabin and one single cabin

Hong Kong and Singapore feature prominently on this route, with Oakland to Hong Kong taking 16 days, Hong Kong to Halifax 30 days, Singapore to Halifax 25 days and Singapore to New York 28 days via Suez, as examples.

Among them these 13 ships have berths for 101 passengers. Fares vary between €100 and €110 per person per day double (€130 for VIP suites on the Fidelio) and €110 to €130 per day for singles (€150 for VIP suites on the Fidelio). Full US visa (not just an ESTA) is required for non-US and Canadian citizens calling at US ports.

Passengers dine with the officers and wine is provided with lunch and dinner. Each ship is equipped with a swimming pool (CMA CGM Elbe, Rhone and Thames have a sauna instead) and a gym.

For details on any CMA CGM passenger booking please call Miri Lopusna at The Cruise People Ltd in London on +44 (0)20 7723 2450 or email PassageEnquiry@aol.com.